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My Eastern sneezes quit a bit. She's never had a runny nose, never once breathed with her mouth open, and nothing has ever come out when she sneezes. Most of the time it is when she is taken out and handled. We're talking maybe once or twice each half hour or so. I figured she would breath or sniff something strong like cologne or cleaner spray, etc.

Recently she's been sneezing inside her cage, I hear her a couple times a day. I recently swithced her bedding from aspen to that fiber "bed-a-beast" stuff. Maybe its too fine for her and she's breathing it in? She seems really healthy. Anyone else have a kingsnake that likes to sneeze?

Matt

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Matt from Minnesota
Cornsnake, Eastern Kingsnake, IL Bullsnake - all girls.
One Pair of cute Crested Geckos.

..a respiratory infection to me. Do you have any experience with this?
-Ryan

Not personally, never had a sick snake in my 7 years of keeping them. I've read a lot about typical resp. infections, and she doesn't display any of of the typical symtoms. Just the occasional sneeze or two.

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Matt from Minnesota
Cornsnake, Eastern Kingsnake, IL Bullsnake - all girls.
One Pair of cute Crested Geckos.

unfortunatley I believe this is in fact a reptiratory issue. The sneezing sound is actually mucus buiding up in his airway and everyonce in a while the air breaks though and makes a "sneezing" sound. It sometimes sounds like a "popping" sound.
I am certainly not an expert in this area, but have had this problem before and it is usually simply corrected with some antibiotics from a herp vet.

Curious, what is his cage setup like? What kind of heat source do you have for him, substrate, cage/tank?
-Ryan

I'm assuming the worst and going to treat her like it's a respiratory problem. She's in a 20L, UTH on one end covering about 1/3 of the tank. Just switched from aspen to bed-a-beast. It was pretty moist for a week but is pretty dry now. Sneezing didn't really increase or decrease with the substrate change. Her hide box is a tissue box, about 10"x4"x2" tall. She has to coil fairly tight inside but seems to enjoy it. I've been thinking maybe if I take the hide box out she'll stretch out, possibly helping her if there is a problem. Ambient temp in the room is about 70-72 and down to mid-upper 60's at night (Minnesota). She spends about 50% in the hide box, and the other half stretched out in the cage.

Most days I never hear a sneeze from her except when I take her out, which is at least every other day. Nearly every time she is out for a half hour she sneezes once or twice.

Any clues how much treatment will cost incl. vet visit?

Thanks - Matt
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Matt from Minnesota
Cornsnake, Eastern Kingsnake, IL Bullsnake - all girls.
One Pair of cute Crested Geckos.

Sounds like you have a good habitat for her. I wouldn't take the hide box out as this adds a sense of security more than anything. Trreatment shouldn't cost more than $50. (including cost of visit)
I would take her in just to be safe. A herp vet could give you a more accurate diagnosis than I. It sounds to me like a common resp. infection so better safe than sorry! This can take a turn for the worse very quickly!
Good luck!!
-Ryan